for decades been primarily addressed to Indian Muslims and Parsees (Zoroastrians), a re-interpretation of the Baháʼí message in accordance with Hindu ideas was necessary to reach the masses of Hindus. India became the largest Baháʼí community in the world in 2000 after less than a century of mass teaching though it also entailed systematically reaching a large community of Untouchables or Harijans. See Baháʼí Faith in India. Unlike the spread of Christianity within indigenous areas in the United States, the spread of the Baháʼí Faith has never been associated with a fortification of colonial occupation, Euro-American assimilation, or forced conversions of Native Americans. Indeed, in 1960 Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum asked for forgiveness for the injustices her race had done and praised their great past. And in 1963 anthropologist Alice Beck Kehoe, a well known researcher of Native Americans, observed that "[The Baháʼí Faith] does not deny the validity of native Indian beliefs, [and] ... appeals to many Indians who are seeking a religion that is neither exclusively Indian nor dominated by white values and customs." However another researcher observed in 2007: "Most white Canadians and Americans have no clue with respect to how constantly they reinforce their own cultural assumptions, right or wrong, and pile them upon Indians, never willing or even interested in hearing our own Native view. I agree that the Baháʼís in Canada and the U.S. have made some good headway in the honoring and validating native spiritual prophecies and principles. However, much more transformation along the lines of intercultural interactions within the Baháʼí international community needs to take place. In particular, I am referring specifically to most (but not all) of our non-Native Baháʼís who find it impossible to break through the inner barriers of their own Euro-American culture." Patterns of encounters between non-Aboriginal Baha'is and Aboriginal people in British Columbia were studied and the result demonstrated a middle ground between romanticization and violent confrontation was possible, though not fully realized. However, in the words of an historian the encounter with the religion "has nevertheless served as a potent source of empowerment for Aboriginal adherents." The traditions of the people weren't left and again served to solidify community. But there is progress in appreciation of Indian cultural and spiritual experience coming through Baháʼí publishing channels just as there has been of Islam over a century ago. Projects engaging Native Americans Baháʼí radio Baháʼí